1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an embedded device and information security control method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
An embedded system can be applied in diversified fields, including smart phones, smart televisions, and set-up boxes. A device associated with an embedded system is commonly referred to as an embedded device. As the applications expand, an embedded system also begins to handle a vast amount of critical information, such as personal information, card numbers, account information, and files. With respect to an open system or a semi-open system, preventing the critical information from illegal or unintended acquisition is a top-priority information security protection task of an embedded device.
In the information security industry, a protection method is available for known lurking programs. A lurking program is malicious software (malware for short), which is implanted and lurks in a victim computer system and may be actively manipulated by a hacker to cause the computer to perform illegal and/or unauthorized activities. The above protection method uses a program characteristic code of the lurking program as basis for identifying the lurking program. Thus, before the lurking program is executed or stored to a file system, the protection method intercepts the lurking program to prevent a lurking program event, potentially using one or more characteristic codes associated with a known programmatic or bundled threat. Although offering an advantage of having high detection accuracy, this type of protection method suffers from a shortcoming of being only effective to unpacked and/or known lurking programs.
In another protection method, unauthorized activities are intercepted by monitoring a system for abnormal behaviors or behavioral characteristics. When a malicious activity takes place, such a method detects and intercepts the malicious activity. Such a protection method is unbounded by insufficient program characteristics and may provide satisfactory protection on unknown lurking programs. However, defining so-called abnormal behaviors or behavioral characteristics remains a goal for every information security expert.